1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to filmstrip projectors and, more particularly, to a system for assuring synchronization of audio and visual media, and for providing ease of access to particular media segments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Audio-visual projectors which provide an integrated audio-visual program have become increasingly popular in industry as sales and instructional aids, and in schools as teaching aids. Such systems have had a number of shortcomings which have restricted their usefulnees by technically unskilled operators. Present systems typically use single-frequency tone bursts on a second magnetic tape track to generate a pulse which advances the filmstrip to the next frame to be viewed. Difficulties are often experienced in establishing synchronization of the video and audio media, and present art does not preclude a loss of synchronization due to electrical noise or imperfection in the magnetic tape media, such as dropouts. A loss of synchronization will continue through an entire program unless the operator recognizes and manually intervenes to correct the problem. Maneuvering of the media to synchronize may be difficult if the correlation between the sound program and the frame being viewed is not immediately apparent to the operator. Rapid location of a particular frame within the filmstrip requires continuous attention to the machine and the subsequent resynchronization of the magnetic tape with the filmstrip frame may be a formidable task.